The Call to Arms
by IzoCypress
Summary: AU. Kyubi doesn't escape at Naruto's birth. Instead Naruto grows up with the support of some powerful friends yet they weren't prepared for the boy to take his life into his own hands. Kinda Strong, very intelligent, civilian Naruto with excellent aim.


**New story line that has been running around my head for a long time now. This is AU as hell and just so you know there is no such thing as Tobi. This obvioulsy means that Kushina and Minato live because Kyubi, or Kurama as he has been named, never got out. I shouldn't have to say this but Review if you like it, and go to hell if you don't.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did I would be able to pay for college...anyone have some spare change :,(**

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><p>A Call to Arms<p>

Chapter 1

Old Friends and a Declaration

The music pumped through the building, different colored lights moving with the music. The bar and dance floor were filled with different people of all ages, dancing or just sitting around drinking the wide variety of alcohol from all over the world. From the entrance of the club eight men and women walked through the crowds of people scanning faces as they moved. At their lead walked a man with gravity defying silver hair only his right eye visible to the world. Directly behind him walked a sixteen year old girl with pink hair, her entire body was tense as she looked around the men and women that were rubbing against each other.

"Kakashi-sensei who are we looking for?" The Pink haired girl yelled over the music, the rest of their team leaning closer to hear the answer.

"I suppose it's time for you guys to know." Kakashi answered as he ran a hand threw his silver hair. "We are looking for Minato-sensei's eldest son Naruto Namikaze." The group's eyes widened as they moved into a tight circle. Kakashi's students Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Kiba Inuzuka moved to his right while Asuma and his students Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi moved to his left. The younger generation all looked up at him and Asuma with nothing but surprise etched on their faces.

"I thought he was killed when we were all kids in the academy!" They all nodded in agreement with Kiba. It was common knowledge that the Yondaime Hokage's eldest son disappeared two days before he graduated from the academy. Everyone always assumed that he was killed in an assassination but as they thought about it, his death was never confirmed.

"Not killed, he just left." Asuma corrected them. "Naruto was without a doubt one of the strongest ninja we had ever seen. His mastery of seals was only matched by Jiraiya-sama and the Hokage himself. He should have graduated long before you guys but he chose to stay in his class, said he didn't want to leave his friends. We all thought that he was telling the truth. We were wrong."

"What happened to him?" Sakura asked him, though it was Kakashi that answered.

"He left. Since he was only an academy student at the time he could technically leave and not be a missing nin. The only thing that stopped him was that he was still classified as a child. He would have to have his parents' permission to leave. So he went to Minato-sensei and asked for permission to leave. I had never seen Minato-sensei so serious before but then again I don't believe he has ever had to deal with someone that matched him in pure intelligence."

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(Flashback)

_Kakashi stood to the side of his Sensei with wide eyes, his book lay forgotten on the ground where it had fallen from his hand. Across from him stood his Sensei's son Naruto his hands clasped behind his back and his eyes set right on his father._

"_You wish to leave Konoha." The Yondaime's voice was way to calm to be normal. His son was asking him to leave his village and not become a ninja like his father and mother before him. And from the looks of it the Yondaime was considering it._

"_I do." Naruto nodded, his eyes never leaving the electric blue eyes of his father._

"_Why?" The question was simple enough yet Kakashi still couldn't figure out why he just hadn't said no yet. As Hokage and the Father of Naruto he could simply say no and everything could go back to normal._

"_My place is not in Konoha. My place is out in the world where I can do what I need to in order to protect the people who need it most without the interference of Konoha law."_

"_And you think you are powerful enough to not only protect those people but also yourself from not only Konoha's enemies but the enemies of both myself and your Mother. Do you truly believe that you could fight them all off?" Kakashi smiled at this, it was over now because there was no way that the boy could do as he was asked. He was strong but he wasn't that strong._

"_No I couldn't fight them all off." And there it was it was over now. "But I don't have to. I'm not foolish enough to believe that no one will find out that I am out of the village and not even of ninja rank. But it will take a few months and by then it will be too late to take me without a large force. A force that they wouldn't dare send into the Land of Fire without fearing your wrath...and mine."_

_Minato stood from his chair and moved in front of his son before kneeling down and placing his hand on his shoulder. _

"_You know that if you get caught there is nothing I can do for you, right?" Naruto nodded. If he isn't a citizen or shinobi of Konoha then if he is captured by another village then there would be nothing that Minato could do without starting a war. And Minato would not sacrifice the lives of his villagers for the life of his son. No matter how much he wanted to._

"_You know Kushina is going to kill me for this?" They both chuckled as he pulled his son into a hug._

"_She has the twins." Naruto answered. "And I'm sure she will only take one ball." Minato paled as he pulled back from his son._

"_You can't really be thinking of letting him go?" Kakashi yelled from the side, not believing that he would let his son out of the village to fend for himself. Minato smiled at his student before turning to his son._

"_He will be fine." Kakashi's mouths opened and closed in disbelieve. How could this be happening? "But I'm only letting you go on one condition." Naruto's eyes narrowed at his Father, he would learn this early in his adventures, there was always a catch._

"_What is it?" He asked his father who was smirking now. The Hokage had full control of this conversation now and Naruto didn't like it._

"_If I ever call you back to the village." Naruto tensed as we waited for his Father to finish. "You will come back..."_

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"...So he left after that without a word to either his mother or brothers. Minato-sensei had Jiraiya-sama keep tabs on him but after five months he started having trouble finding spies. And even then the ones he did find ended up lying to him. It turns out that Naruto-kun instills the same amount of loyalty from his followers that Minato-sensei does." Kakashi turned form the group to look for Naruto once again. The last of that night coming back to him as he did.

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"_If I ever call you back to the village. You will come back and defend it from any and all who would dare to cause it harm." Naruto and Kakashi were both confused by this._

"_What are you talking about Father?" Naruto asked as his father moved back to lean against his desk._

"_War is on the horizon my son. I am unsure who will be with or against us but I know that it will happen soon, and when it does I will call for you to come back and help defend Konoha and her allies." Minato paused as he looked at his son. Naruto did not answer for almost five minutes, his eyes locked on the village as he lost himself in his thoughts. _

"_When you call I will come." Minato smiled and nodded at his son but he knew there was more. _

"_But I will not force whatever allies I have to do the same. I will leave it up to them if they follow me or not." Minato never lost his smile as he nodded again, proud of his son. Naruto would be out of the village with only the clothes on his back in less than ten minutes_.

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"Kakashi, do you really think he will be here?" Asuma asked as he came up behind him. The rest of their team was wondering around in search of the blond boy with the tell tale whisker marks that all the Namikaze children had do to their mother being the holder of the Kyuubi.

"If I wasn't here I would say no." Kakashi answered as they moved to the bar and were handed two small glasses filled with a blue liquid. "But he knows that if I'm here that it must b important. Hell I wouldn't be surprised if he knew exactly when we stepped foot in here. He is now either screwing with me and you or trying to scare the others." He downed the blue liquid threw his mask, coughing almost instantly as the liquid made his throat and stomach feel like they were coated in ice. Asuma frowned at the drink, sliding it away from him only for Kakashi to grab it and throw the drink back, coughing once again as it settled in his stomach.

"So what do we do?" Asuma asked as Kakashi ordered two more of the drinks, shoving one into his hands.

"Drink." Kakashi told him as he threw the drink down his throat. "And wait for him to show himself." Asuma scanned the room one more time, spotting his team still in a group like he had told them, before chugging the drink, coughing as it cooled his throat, stomach, and his nerves.

"Shika do you see him anywhere?" Ino yelled over the music as they moved around the dance floor, moving closer to the stage where a band was beginning to set up for something. She had quickly lost track of her Sensei and Team 7 and as they moved deeper into the crowed she was beginning to worry that she would lose her team to. "Shikamaru?" She turned around to where her two teammates were following her but all she saw were some random people grinding against each other to the beat of the music. "Shikamaru!" She yelled as loud as her voice could allow yet she received no answer.

"Lazy bastard better not be sitting somewhere or I will kill him." Ino growled as she tried to find a way out of the crowd but could find no openings as the little space she did have began to enclose around her. She was about to jump towards the ceiling but stopped as the music was cut and the lights moved to the stage where the band members were finally set. The crowd cheered as one and moved as close as they could get, Ino being pushed to the very front by the people behind her. She looked around widely for some way our or to call for one of the guys of her team to help her out but couldn't find a single one before the lights in the building were cut and silence took over the club.

"Before we start we would like to thank you all for coming and we all hope you enjoy the show. And as a special treat we were even able to get the man we have all come to love to sing a song for us all so it is with great pleasure that I introduce NAARUUUUTOOO Namikaaaaaaaazeee!" Ino's eyes shot up to the stage as a single light snapped on and lit up the man they had been looking for. Naruto had grown to look like a fully grown man, standing just as tall as his father. His hair had been cut short somewhat like Asuma's and he was growing a thin chin strap beard. He was wearing a grey long sleeved shirt with a white hand print on it with a red and black plaid coat with tan fur lining with the sleeves of the coat pulled above his elbows allowing the grey shirt to be seen and leaving the buttons undone. He wore simple blue jeans with the cuffs of his pants torn and rugged from use allowing his black sneakers to be seen easily. He gave the crowed a dashing smile that had all the girls scream, Ino could almost hear him chuckle as he pulled down some small round rim sunglasses made famous by some poet named John Lennin, the rose mirrored lenses showing the crowed from his point of few.

"Thank you for the introduction old friend." Naruto's smooth voice was the signal for the rest of the lights to be turned on as he looked back to the man playing the bass, giving him a lazy two fingered salute that the man returned before he turned back to the crowd. "Now without further a due I give you hell." The crowd cheered and Naruto smiled as the band began to play a beat, Naruto tapping his toe to it.

"I wake up every evening, with a big smile on my face, and it never feels out of place... And you're still probably working, at a nine to five pace; I wonder how bad that tastes."

Ino couldn't believe her ears as Naruto began to sing. His voice running through the words in a smooth melody that took her by surprise and captures her attention especially when his eyes seemed to lock with hers and he flashed her a smile that made her heart skip a beat.  
>"When you see my face, hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell, when you walk my way, hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell, now where's your picket fence love, and where's that shiny car, and did it ever get you far, you never seemed so tense love, I've never seen you fall so hard, do you know where you are?"<p>

Ino gasped as Naruto knelt down at the end of the stage, the girls around her screaming with glee and reaching out to try and touch the man they loved. Naruto touched each of their hands, grinning at them as he did before he looked right at Ino and gave her a crocked grin as he held out his hand. She couldn't stop herself as she took it and he gave her hand a small sweet kiss that made her blush and her heart flutter. He pulled his sun glasses down reviling his striking blue eyes before giving her a small wink the crocked grin still on his face before he stood and began to sing again.

Asuma groaned as he watched his only female student get seduced by the man they were looking for. He would really need to teach that girl to be more observant of what people were capable of and how to resist men like Naruto who were naturals at playing women. Next to him Kakashi laughed as he took a swig of a weird white slushy drink that tasted a lot like lemons, the alcohol was starting to get to him a little but he was in no danger here and he just wanted to enjoy the show.

"It seems that your student has taken a liking to our target." Kakashi laughed again as he handed the bearded man a drink to calm his nerves. Asuma shook his head as he chugged the drink, ordering another one as he did. Kakashi snickered at the other man as he swayed to the music, Naruto wasn't half bad. Could probably make a living off of it if he wasn't a ninja.

"What are the chances that she is just playing along to get closer to the target?" Asuma asked, looking for some semblance of hope, yet he would find no help in Kakashi. As he just laughed louder.

"If she is playing along then I am a closet pervert." Kakashi eye smiled to the man, the small porn book in his pocket showing he really wasn't, before turning back to the stage as the song came to a finish, the crowd cheering and yelling for an encore that the blond politely declined. He followed the boy as he stepped off the stage and disappeared into the crowd and out of his sight. Sighing Kakashi leaned back into the bar, knowing that he was going to have to wait for the teen to come to him when he was ready. And seeing as how the rookies were forming in around him he figured that Naruto would show up sooner rather than later so he wouldn't have to round everyone up again.

"Kakashi-sensei was that really the Hokage's son?" Sakura asked, her two teammates following close behind her as they joined him at the bar, Asuma's kids not to far behind with Ino looking back towards where Naruto had disappeared to.

"Yes that was Naruto-kun in the flesh." Kakashi answered with a smiled, Asuma grunting in agreement next to him mumbling something about 'Damn blond being a heartthrob just like his father.'

"He doesn't seem like much." Kiba commented, not seeing much in the blond teen. "I mean yeah he could sing but I bet he would get his ass kicked in a fight." Sasuke nodded in agreement his partner.

"Remember what I told you kids, look underneath the underneath." Kakashi lectured his students, also looking towards Asuma's team trying to get the point across seeing as though it was valuable in their line of work. Hell any information was.

"Still sprouting bullshit Kakashi?" The man slowly turned to where the voice came from and smiled to the blond who was now standing behind the bar with a familiar blue drink in his hand. Asuma and the blond smiled at each other before hugging over the bar, Kakashi taking his place as they let go.

"Naruto-kun." Kakashi greeted the boy as they let go of the hug and broke away from each other. "It's been far too long my boy." Naruto nodded in agreement, not seeing a reason to answer before looking towards the students of the two men.

"So the old man finally made you take students?" He asked, smiling at the blond girl from the stage making her blush a deep red and turn her eyes away from him.

"Asuma volunteered after Kurenai-chan asked him to." Naruto snickered at the bearded man who glared at the one eyed Jonin. "And I finally found a team with enough sense to pass my test."

"Ah so you finally found someone who could pass the cursed test." Naruto smiled as the three members of team 7 automatically looked his way, most likely wondering what the cursed test is. "An Uchiha, Inuzuka, and going off the pink hair I can only assume that she is a Haruno. Although I thought that they were usually more into markets and money."

"Sakura-chan here is a first generation Kunoichi actually." Kakashi said as he placed his hand on the blushing girls shoulder.

"Wow a first generation ninja actually passed your test...who would have thunk it?" Naruto chuckled as the man scratched the back of his head.

"Well that's why I took them." Kakashi admitted as he looked to his team. "I figured there was no way that they would pass but then again I wasn't planning on the two boys to become protective of Sakura-chan after I knocked her into a tree hehe...my bad." Naruto burst into laughter as Kakashi's team glared at their sensei remembering the test where he had mercilessly kicked them around the field. But they had to admit that it was all worth it as they were the strongest team in Konoha with Kiba and Sakura being Chunin and Kakashi and Sasuke being Jonin of high prestige.

"Shit happens I guess." Asuma said with a smirk.

"Shit doesn't happen." Naruto started with a matching smirk.

"Shit takes planning, shit takes preparation." Kakashi finished with an eye smile even though they all knew he was smirking under his mask.

"How long have you guys known each other for?" Shikamaru Nara, Asuma's other student along with the overly chubby Choji Akimich, asked from where he had found a chair and was slumped lazily into it.

"Um..how long have we known each other for?" Naruto asked as he tried to count on his fingers.

"Well we have been friends for nine years if you count the years that you were gone, four if don't." Asuma's answered as he to thought back to when they had first met. Naruto had only been six at the time but he had always been mature for his age, most likely do to all the training his father put him through.

"Huh, it feels longer than that." The Blonds face fell slightly as he thought of his life and what he had gone through over the years. Shaking off the increasingly depressed feeling Naruto chugged the blue drink before flashing them all a dashing smile. "Well I have people I need to talk to and crowds to entertain so I welcome you all to drink whatever you like and have some fun. When you're ready to go to sleep simply go out of the club and go three buildings to the right you'll find a hotel called the Pink Lady they know you are coming and have prepared rooms for all of you." The teens smiled at this glad they wouldn't have to sleep in the woods using the small sleeping bags they had brought for another night. While the girls were extremely happy do to the fact they could take a well needed shower also.

"Wait! Naruto we still need to talk about why we are here." Kakashi yelled as the boy made to leave the group. Naruto simply turned to them with a smile, not once looking to see where he was stepping though only the Jonin of the group noticed.

"Tonight we party!" Naruto yelled. "Tomorrow we go to war!" Kakashi, Asuma, Shikamaru, and Sasuke all watched the blond leave, catching the hidden meaning behind what he had said since they were the only Jonin in the group and only Jonin knew why they were actually looking for the blond.

"What are we going to do now Asuma-sensei?" Ino yelled as she finally seamed to get over the shyness she felt while the blond was around.

"Go have fun." He answered with a smile. "But watch each other's back and make sure you all get to your rooms before three in the morning. We are still on a mission so we will need to rise early and go back to Konoha." Sakura and Ino nodded, only catching the just of what he said before they rushed off into the crowd of people, Kiba and Choji following close behind to make sure they didn't get into trouble.

"Are we just going to let Naruto-san run around unattended?" Sasuke asked, his eyes still locked on to the blond who was talking to a group of people with a large smile on his face as they all laughed.

"Naruto-kun may not look like much but he has been defending himself for years now. And he knows that he is being called back to Konoha so he won't leave without telling Asuma or myself so do as he said and go have some fun." Sasuke and Shikamaru nodded before walking towards two girls sitting at a table near the back of the club. "God knows you two need it the most." Kakashi mumbled as he watched them approach the two girls who were blushing.

"It's a shame that they were both thrown into the ranks so quickly but I thank god everyday that they were able to stay with each other through it all." Asuma commented as he to found a girl with violet hair that caught his eye.

Kakashi laughed as he followed his friend's line of sight to the girl. "Go ahead Asuma, you need a lay more than I do especially since Kurenai-chan hasn't given you a chance yet." He chuckled a little louder while Asuma glared at him. "I'll watch the teams." He promised as he stole Shikamaru' forgotten chair and a new drink as he prepared himself for a long night of watching the students to guarantee they didn't get hurt. Asuma clapped his hand on Kakashi's shoulder in thanks before moving after the retreating form of the violet haired girl. Kakashi sighed as he leaned the chair back on two legs and took a small sip of his drink.

Naruto let a heavy sigh escape his lips as he looked at the lounging Jonin. He had finally gotten into a spot in his life where he was generally comfortable and just as soon as it came his father had to call him back. And now after all he had worked for, all he had built, he would have to go back to his home village and fight for it. It was a damn shame but if he only had one night left to enjoy then by damn he was going to enjoy it.

"Hello ladies." Naruto called as he walked into a group of women that had been starring at him ever sense he had come into their line of sight. "Which two of you will be joining me this evening?" He asked with a devilish smirk, throwing his arms around two of the finest girls he had seen that night, only the blond girl in Asuma's team being better. But not even he was stupid enough to play with that girl, not willing to fight Asuma, her father, and most likely her teammates as well. He smiled as the two girls pulled him by his hands towards the dance floor. Pushing the blond girl to the back of his mind he succumbed himself to his rather comfy fate and allowed the girls to pull him in-between them.

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The next morning the club looked like a completely different place. With all the party lights off and industrial lights on the club lit up like the sun itself was on it. The previously dark club was now full with color white floors and walls covered with black tables and red chairs, behind the black bar stood row and row of different sizes and colors of bottles filled with Alcohol from all around the world. And currently right in the middle of the now barren black stage sat Naruto with two men and a women around him, all looking at a map of the continent.

Naruto sat rubbing his head, his round rimmed glasses still on his face only his coat had changed from the previous night and even then it was only the color now being black, grey, and navy blue. To his right stood Kyo a lean man, near the same height as Naruto only with pure black skin that seemed to suck in the light around him. He had eerily white pupil-less eyes, his black curly hair shaved into a short Mohawk. He wore a dark blue navy shirt with a black sports jacket over top, black combat pants covered his legs with matching black steel toed boots. Two daggers were strapped to his back in pure white sheaths that had black rats etched into the leather. Ruby red cloth covered the handle of the blades giving them grip and protection from the world around them.

Next to him sat Sara a pale elderly women with long grey hair that almost touched the ground and shinned in the light. Kind green eyes ran slowly across the map in front of her as she absentmindedly ran her hand across the wooden cane she had acquired many years ago, the handle of which was carved to look like a sleeping cat. She wore and old blue wool dress that she swore the wife of the Sandaime Raikage had sown. Rings of many different metals and jewels decorated each of her fingers, her left ring finger being the only bare digit. An elegant black metal necklace hung from her neck, the most unique rainbow colored jewel hanging securely to it.

And finally to her right stood Tanaro a tall man standing at almost 6'4 with tan skin that almost looked gold. His entire face was covered by a plate helmet, the entire face of which looked like thick metal grates that were impossible to look threw while the black was as smooth as possible. Only his grey storm cloud eyes could be seen threw the helmet and only then could you see them when direct light hit his face. He wore matching grey plate armor, standard for all samurai only a large 'X' had been carved into his breast plate most likely my himself a symbol of his group and a mark that identified him as a ronin, a traitor in most societies. Finally his gloved hand rested lightly on the hilt of his Katana, the handle wrapped in grey cloth which matched perfectly with his grey sheath, making the blade look as normal as any other blade but then again that's what it was supposed to do.

"So ya will be go'in back t'en Naruto?" Kyo asked with a think Cajun accent, a sign of his roots.

"I promised I would go back when he called for me, but only in the face of war." Naruto answered as looked towards his closest friends. "And you all know that war between the countries is only a few weeks away, if not less."

"You made that promise when you were a child, surely you can simply ditch the Konoha-nin and go somewhere they will never find you." Sara offered leaning away from the map and looking at the three boys she had come to see as sons no matter what their age. "It is unfair of your father to call you back just to fight his war."

Naruto couldn't help but agree with the women in all but one part. "If this war truly was of my father's doing then I would disappear in a heartbeat and leave him to clean up his own mess but we already know that he did everything he could to stop this war before it started. A war, I might add. That is being caused by ideals of fools." Sara frowned at her youngest boy but couldn't exactly fight against what he said as it was true, especially since she was the one who got all of that information.

"And don't forget to all ways keep your word." Tanaro spoke up in a gruff short voice that was muffled by his mask almost making him sound robotic. "If you can do only one thing in this world you should keep your word for it is all that counts."

"Oh s'ut up ya damn fool." Kyo glared at the older man. "No one cares for ta ideals of a disgraceful ronin." Tanaro snarled as he clicked the hilt of his blade away from its sheath and fell into a slight crouch, the right side of his body faced towards the small black man.

"You'll care when I cut you in have you dirty thief." Tanaro spat at the small man who rolled back a few yards stopping in a low crouch, his knees almost touching the ground, both of his daggers in a reverse guard in front of his body, his white teeth shining in the light as he gave the man a feral grin.

"Rat'er a T'ief t'en a traitor." Kyo spat back.

"Calm down, the both of you before you break something...again." Naruto deadpanned, looking at both the men who were supposed to be older than him, Kyo being eighteen, Tanaro being twenty two.

"We'll see how good of thief you are when I slice you damn hands off." Tanaro yelled, both of them ignoring what the younger blond said, that is until they were both smacked upside the head with the thin end of Sara's cane, which had grown in order to reach Kyo.

"Stop fooling around and pay attention!" She yelled at the two of them from where she had stood, her lengthened cane still hovering above Kyo's bruised head. "Now sit down, our guests will be arriving soon and we have much to talk about." Both boys mumbled a weak 'yes, ma'am' before taking a seat where they had been standing before, Sara following their example after making her cane shrink back to its original size.

"Now where was I?" Naruto thought to himself when the three had finished getting comfortable. "Oh Yes! I was talking about how I was going to have to go back to Konoha and fight a war!" He shouted the last part at the two men making both of them lower their heads in shame.

"Sorry." Both men apologized to the blond who only sighed in response, pushing his glasses up to his face once again.  
>"Now before we start anything else I have to ask." The Blond said getting their attention. "Are you all still with me?" The question took all three of them by surprise as they had expected that the blond assumed that they were with him considering they were all still there. Before either of the men could say anything Sara's cane passed in between them and smacked the blond right on the forehead, knocking him to his back where the cane presided to fall on his head again forcing a grunt form the now injured blond.<p>

"We have been with you for three years now, Boy!" Sara yelled, her cane floating back to her hand. "And we will be with you for another hundred or until the day we all croak, which for me won't be much longer."

"Don't say such things Sara-Ka-san." Tanaro said as he crossed his arms making him look rather childish for a man that was almost completely covered in samurai armor.  
>"T'e elders always say it was bad juju to talk about ya own deat'" Kyo whispered turning his lifeless white eyes to the elder of the group.<p>

"Now, now boys don't get your panties in a bunch. This old body still has a few more years in it." Sara smiled sweetly at her three boys, all unique in their own way. She could remember when they were all just bickering young boys, all with their own stories to tell, and all looking for some kind of guidance. She wasn't sure when it had happened or how but either way she had started to call the boys her sons and her their mother. She taught them how to be men, how to survive this god forsaken world. It was because of this that she knew that each of them was ready to go out and make new stories, always together. "Now enough of this...we have guests to entertain."

Sara stood slowly from the ground placing her weight onto her cane while turning her back to the boys to greet their Konoha guests who were being escorted by to small looking men. Naruto smiled at the elderly women, she always knew when someone was there to see her. He at first thought it was some kind of a signal the guards gave her but considering that those were Kyo's men and she had done this with no guards at all he had summarized that she either has a bloodline or has the devils luck with these kind of things.

"Well you heard her, time to greet our guests and future allies." Naruto said to his two friends and brothers as he stood, throwing his arms around their shoulders to the best of his ability and guiding them over to where Sara stood smiling at the group of nin, some looking better than others.

"Kakashi, Asuma I would like you to meet my greatest allies and closest friends."The blond whiskered teen patted Kyo on the back who was smiling at the group, all of who were staring at the man like they had never seen someone with skin so black before, which was a good possibility. "This is Kyo, don't turn your back to him because he will rob you blind and you won't notice tell you feel the wind on your naked body. It's for that reason that he is the leader of the almost ever thief in the Land of Fire." Kyo grinned at the group, waving as he did.

"I also 'ave one 'ell of an accent." He said, allowing his Cajun drawl to show full force.

"Moving on...we have the ever noble Tanaro." Naruto said as he clapped the taller man on the back. "Tanaro here is the leader of the Noble Ronin, Ronin who have left their corrupt evil masters or commanders in order to live up to their code." Tanaro bowed to the group, only Kakashi, Asuma, and Sasuke returning the bow as they were the only ones who had met a samurai and knew how to greet them.

"It is a pleasure to meet the kinsmen of our little Naru-chan." Naruto kicked the man's armored shin who only chuckled, taking advantage of the fact that his helmet made his voice robotic.

"Haha laugh it up tin can." Naruto growled at the man who chuckled more to antagonize the boy.

"Naruto-chan pays attention to your guests." Sara ordered, her friendly smile never leaving her face as she scolded the boy.

"As you say Sara-ka-san." Naruto mumbled with his head down, Tanaro still chuckling the entire time. "Well as you heard the beautiful young women in front of me is Sara-ka-san, the adoptive mother of all three of us. And a spy master only rivaled by Jiraiya. But if you ask us she is better."

"What one spy master knows today, the other knew for weeks." Sara nodded her greeting to the group with the same friendly smile. "It is truly nice to meet you all."

"And finally for all of you who don't know who I am my name is Naruto Namikaze master of seals with a voice of an angel, or so I'm told." He smiled cheekily at the group each of which was still inspecting them as if Naruto and his friends were going to attack them.

"Since you introduced yourself it is only fair that we introduce ourselves. Asuma." Kakashi eye smiled at the other man who was currently trying to light a cigarette but was having trouble with his lighter.

"It won't work Asuma I have seals in here that put out fire as it's started." Naruto interrupted the man. "Didn't want the club to burn down...again." He added with a pointed glare to the black thief.

"Damn blond." Asuma muttered to himself, deciding to just let the cigarette sit on his lips instead. "Well I'm Asuma Saratobi, life time smoker and recently single if you care to know. The blond girl behind me is Ino Yamanaka, certified loud mouth."

"Hey!" Ino yelled at her sensei while the rest of the group snickered. Naruto smiled at the now hot headed girl as he inspected her, sense he was unable to see what the group had looked like in the dark club the night before. Long platinum blonde hair pulled back into a long pony tail with bangs covering the right side of her face, almost blocking out her light green eyes. She wore a purple sleeveless blouse with a matching purple apron like skirt, a shorter black apron skirt under it with fishnet shorts. She wore common Kunoichi sandals with fishnet warmers over her arms and legs. A common medical pack was strapped to her back with a Chunin's tanto above it, though it looked almost new.

"The boy with the pineapple hair style is Shikamaru Nara." The teen nodded to the group, his hair which had been pulled up into a short pony tail that really did look like a pineapple bobbing with his head. He wore the normal Konoha uniform. Black cloth pants that made no noise with pouches on each leg for his weapons. A dark green padded vest with pouches and strapped for scrolls over his long sleeved black shirt, the fishnet body suit barely being visible do to the cuffs of his shirt and pants being too short to cover it. His Konoha forehead protector with the Leaf symbol of Konoha etched into it was tied to his left bicep.

"And finally we have Choji Akimichi." The teen in question smiled at them even as he shoved some barbeque chips into his mouth, barely chewing before he swallowed. The teen wore a red body suit with plate armor on his torso, arms, and upper legs with the kanji for 'food' on the chest plate. His long brown hair falling down to his waist with a medium sized swirl had been tattooed on each of his cheeks. Naruto also noted that each of them had a stud earring in their ears, matching if he was correct.

Kakashi waited for a few seconds before starting to introduce his own team. "My name is Kakashi Hatake." Naruto and his group nodded already knowing his name. He wore a Konoha uniform only with blue cloth instead of black. He also wore a black face mask covering his nose all the way to his lower neck with his forehead protector on his head with the left side pulled down to cover his eye. His silver hair spiked a good six inches above his head. Naruto also noticed the gloves with metal plates on the back, most likely from his days in ANBU black ops.

"The girl is Sakura Haruno." Sakura gave a slight bow. The girl had light pink hair that was cut short only falling to her shoulders with her red clothed forehead protector in her hair to keep it strait. She wore a red sleeveless blouse with a white circle on the back with black skin tight shorts, black boots, and gloves with a grey apron skirt and grey elbow protectors. She also wore a medical pack with what looked to be a brand new Chunin's tanto over it. It seemed both girls either just got their tanto's or just don't use them.

"Next we have Kiba Inuzuka." Kakashi pointed to a teen with wild brown hair with a black cloth forehead protector holding it up. He wore a black leather jacket over a fishnet shirt, along with black pants and sandals all of which had zippers matching the jacket. "He has a nin-dog named Akamaru who is currently waiting outside with the guards."

"And finally we have Sasuke Uchiha." The final member of the Kakashi's team was seemingly uneventful as all he wore was the standard Konoha uniform, black like Shikamaru. The only difference being his jet black hair that was shaped almost like a ducks butt along with a chukuto, a thin yet long one sided sword, strapped to his waist.

"Yo." Sasuke greeted with a raise of his hand. The group looked at each other once more, all taking in the others appearance and attempting to figure out everything about them though it would do little good with Naruto's group as only two of them even showed that they carried weapons. Naruto becoming quickly bored decided to move things along by clapping his hand together to get their attention.

"Now that the boring part is over we can move on to the equally boring part. Strategy." The Blond moved without waiting for an answer towards the momentarily forgotten map. Kyo and Tanaro moving to stand behind him, one to each side while Sara sat to across from him. Naruto was surprised when Shikamaru and Sasuke sat directly to his right, as close to the map as possible. While Kakashi took to sitting on his left, while the rest of the group filled in around Kakashi, Sasuke, and Shikamaru.

"So Kakashi tell me about this war?" Naruto said as he moved to lean back but stopped when he noticed the confused faces on all of the students beside Sasuke and Shikamaru. "They don't know?" He asked looking towards Kakashi who was rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"Your father decided to only inform the Jonin and his councilors. Other than that we weren't going to inform anyone until war was officially declared between the villages." Kakashi answered, receiving a glare from Sakura and Kiba causing the man to chuckle nervously.

"Well that's beside the point now." Naruto mumbled. "What do you know of the enemy's movements?" He asked the older man, passing him a marker to draw on the map. Kakashi popped the cap before marking the maps around the Iwa and Suna borders, along with a few in some minor villages around the continents.

"Is this all you know?" Naruto asked receiving a nod from the man. Naruto sighed before taking the marker back before drawing two x's near on the Iwa border before drawing an arrow that went from the x's all the way into Land of Water. "We acquired info a week ago that Iwa is planning on moving a small squadron to the border between the Land of Water and Fire. From there they would be able to get to Konoha with almost no opposition and attack before any counter attack could be made." Their eyes widened as they took in the information. If Iwa was able to get this attack off it would severely weaken Konoha to a point that they would lose the war, even with Kumo on their side.

"I thought Kiri pledged to stay out of this war?" Shikamaru asked as he took in the blonds' rather crewed layout of Iwa's attack plan.

"And they are. Do to them still trying to recover from their own civil war their Mizukage decided to stay out of it. But Iwa offered supplies and money that they desperately needed. The new Mizukage couldn't say no." Naruto answered as he sat back, letting a sigh escape his lips. "So now in less than two weeks, just as the war is declared between Iwa Suna and Kuma Konoha, Iwa will attack Konoha with the hopes that they can take it out without having to deal with my Father...A good strategy to that might have worked if we hadn't found out about it when we did."

"And what are you going to do to stop it?" Asuma asked, finding himself on edge as he listened to the blond talk with an intelligence he had never seen from the blond before.

"Stop them before they even reach the Land of Water." Naruto declared, and before a question could be asked he motioned for Kyo to talk.

"I 'ave friends in ta pirate's t'at roam te ocean." Kyo said as he pointed to the ocean between the Land of Water and Earth. "Ya nin may rule te land but in te ocean ya are not'in. And te Iwa-nin will soon find t'at out as t'ey meet a wall of pirate's."

"Do you really think some low life pirates could stand up to ninja?" Kiba asked with an arrogant smirk.

"Wit'out a doubt." Kyo answered with a large grin. Kiba merely scoffed at the answer. Thinking that Konoha would end up sending some teams to kill the Iwa ninja once they get through the pirates.

"What else do you know of our enemy?" Kakashi asked before one of the students say something that would cause problems.

"Nothing that you wouldn't already know." Naruto answered truthfully. It was true that war was near but there was nothing that would need his direct attention for a few months. If not longer.

"So what will we do now Naruto-kun?" Tanaro asked the talk of war being over for now and the more pressing matter coming up. Like if they were going to have to move or if they could stay out and help Konoha from their home.

"For now." Naruto started, his eyes never leaving the map. "Kyo, Tanaro, and I will go to Konoha with the nin's. Sara-ka-san will stay here and hold down the fort for us until we can get back. God knows she wouldn't be able to travel that much anyway."

"I resent that statement." Sara commented offhandedly, but her boys knew that she really didn't. She was long past the time that she could travel actively and at fast passes.  
>"When will we leave?" The Ronin leader asked as he crossed his arms across his chest.<p>

"Within the hour." Naruto stated as he looked to the watch on his wrist, pushing his sunglasses up as he did. "Go take care of whatever you need to. Meet us at the towns' south entrance in an hour." Kyo and Tanaro nodded before walking away to get their supplies and set up whatever they needed to for their separate groups.

"What do you want us to do Naruto-kun?" Kakashi asked as he stood from the ground, stretching his back as he did.

"Eat, relax, enjoy the town, do what you wish just be at the southern entrance in an hour." He told them as he to stood, helping Sara up soon after. "While you do that I have some things I have to take care of and pack a few things." Kakashi and Asuma nodded to the blond before turning to their students.

"Well you all heard him. Enjoy yourselves until it's time for us to meet at the gate, then we are back to business." Asuma ordered the teens not arguing as they all left the building, Sasuke and Shikamaru being the only ones to stay behind.

"You two aren't going to join your friends?" Naruto asked the two black haired teens. Naruto took notice of Asuma and Kakashi stopping to pay attention to the conversation.

"Not all of us are as carefree as them." Sasuke answered, a well rehearsed answer he had practiced sense he and Shikamaru were paired together as Jonin.

Naruto nodded in understanding his lips tightening into a thin line. "Fair enough. Though I personally find that if you can't be carefree every once and awhile you will find that you know longer remember who you are." Naruto gave a curt nod while adjusting his sunglasses. "Food for thought."

Without another word Naruto walked into the back of the club, Sara close behind him leaving the four Jonin in the room by themselves. Sasuke and Shikamaru both watched the door that Naruto had gone through with perplexed looks on their faces, more emotion then either of their teachers had seen recently. But then again, going to hell and back will do that to people.

"He has a point you know." Kakashi spoke, getting the two teens attention. "He might not be a Shinobi like us. But he has gone through things just like us..maybe more."

"He hasn't seen the things we have." Shikamaru answered darkly.

"Possibly." Asuma admitted. "But then again you haven't seen the things he has." Asuma attempted to light his cigarette again only to realize that he seal was still affecting his lighter. Sighing he walked away, wanting to get outside so he could enjoy a cigarette. Kakashi followed soon after leaving the two teens to their thoughts.

In the room Naruto and Sara had gone in they sat across from each other at a large table, a meeting room of sorts.

"Are you sure about all this Naru-chan?" Sara asked, her eyes heavy with worry.

"I have to be." He answered. "As much as I want to stay out of this war I know that eventually it would have pulled us into it. I would rather join it now with allies and the advantage then later with our backs against a corner and no sign of back up." Sara sat in silence with the boy for a few minutes, both enjoying the moment of quiet, both assuming that they wouldn't have one for a long time.

"Are you ready to do what is necessary? To show your true strength." She asked him.

"...I have to be." Naruto answered. "There are too many lives counting on me."

"Like I said before Naruto. You don't have to do this. You can back out and run away. Kyo will follow you without a second thought. Tanaro might not agree with your decision but he will follow you none the less." Naruto's eyes became glazed over as he thought about it. He knew she was right, he could leave with Kyo, Tanaro, and Sara and Konoha would never find them. But no matter how appealing that thought is he knew that he owed his father more then he could ever repay. Minato had allowed him to leave their home village, do as he pleased, and even had a hand in helping Naruto with some of his more dangerous adventures. And now his Father was calling for his aid and it was time for Naruto to give it.

"It is time for me to leave Sara-ka-san." Naruto said as he rose from his chair, moving over to the elderly women and giving her a loving hug. "I'll cya when I cya." Sara nodded as tears fell freely from her eyes.

"I love you to son." Naruto kissed the top of her head before walking out the door. He had things to pack. And a war to prepare for.


End file.
